The ICA Global Research Conference 2011: Call for Papers
The theme of the 2011 ICA Global Research Conference due to take place in Finland in August is NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO-OPERATIVES. Focal themes of the conference include:
• Co-operative diversity and different types of success
• The role and promotion of co-operatives in a global context
• Shared leadership and membership communities
• The green economy and co-operative societies
• Multidisciplinary teaching and research on co-operatives
Abstracts are due no later than March 31, 2011. To find out more, visit the conference website
New Student Forum on Co-operation Research
This new multi-disciplinary forum has been set up to bring together postgraduate and postdoctoral students who are investigating aspects of cooperation. The inaugural meeting took place on 9 December 2010 where CICS PhD student, James Beecher, presented aspects of his research into financial mutuals. The Forum is organised by the Network for Co-operation and Governance Researchand for more information or to hear about future events, contact Mark Stanford or Daniel Fitzpatrick at ncgr@ncgr.org.uk. A full list of presentations is available at: http://www.ncgr.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Timetable2.pdf
CICS wins tender for farmers’ markets evaluation
CICS have been successful in winning a tender with the Plunkett Foundation to assess and understand the social environmental and economic impacts of their Collaborative Farmers’ Markets project.
The Farmers’ Market project is managed by the Plunkett Foundation in partnership with the Farmers’ Markets and Retail Association (FARMA) and is part of the Making Local Food Work (MLFW) portfolio - a £10 million Big Lottery funded project to support sustainable community enterprises across England, and to meet the needs of rural and urban dwellers in accessing local food.
CICS researchers – Molly Scott Cato, Barbara Kennedy and Jan Myers – will be working with the Plunkett Foundation over a 12-18 month period to complete the assessment.
CICS Research Presented at Leading National Research Centre Seminar
CICS researchers were invited to present the findings of their research into mutual finance at a research seminar organised by the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC).
TSRC is a collaborative venture between some of the UK’s leading universities to provide policy-makers with reliable data on the size and significance of activity in the ‘third sector’ including social enterprise, voluntary organisations and co-operatives.
The seminar, with the title ‘Mutuals and Cooperatives Research: Past, Present and Future Directions’ was held at Middlesex University on 1st November. CICS PhD student James Beecher gave a presentation called ‘From Risk Society to Big Society: The Role of Building Societies in the Era of Financial and Fiscal Crisis’, together with Molly Scott Cato, Director of CICS.
Other presentations were given by Tom Woodin, from London-based Institute of Education, John Goodman, from Co-operatives-UK, and a research team from TSRC at Middlesex and Birmingham Universities.
Cardiff Credit Union
Cardiff Credit Union is just one of 54,000 credit unions in the world. They suggests that that payroll deduction is the easiest way to save and now all staff at Cardiff Met can choose to join and a fixed amount deducted from their pay – it’s a good way to save for that special event, a rainy day... and savers can borrow too...
If you live and work in Cardiff or Vale of Glamorgan (this means all Cardiff Met employees), you are eligible to join. See below for further information and joining instructions:
Cardiff Credit Union Information (pdf)
Membership Application form (pdf)
Bank Standing Order Form (pdf)
Payroll deduction form (pdf)
For information about other Welsh credit unions near to where you live, visit Wales Co-operative Centre and / or Welsh Assembly Government Housing and Community.
